The BSR Podcast: RestART with BSR, episode 6, Tiny Dynamite

There's one thing the pandemic didn't change about Tiny Dynamite producing artistic director KC MacMillan's artistic vision: she wants to do "theater that scares the pants off me."

That could mean unrehearsed performances, wildly interactive shows, or brand-new work.

MacMillan describes Tiny Dynamite as a small Philly theater company with outsized impact. The group celebrated its 10th anniversary during the pandemic. She says some of their challenges—like their small staff size and skinny resources, and their lack of a home venue—became a lucky break during the pandemic shut-downs. The company didn't have to lay anyone off, or pay rent or mortgage on a venue it couldn't fill. Tiny Dynamite experimented with theater by phone, mail, and the Internet, and saw a significant number of new ticket-buyers. But can the company sustain them?

MacMillan enjoys upending traditional models of theater-making that privilege the playwright and director over other artists, and she insists that "theater companies aren't in competition with each other."

Groups like Tiny Dynamite continue to find their way in the pandemic. "I see that human desire to turn the page, and I wonder what that means when circumstances are still so challenging," MacMillan says.

Listen to the full conversation above, visit the BSR podcast episode page, or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.